Where did you feel most relaxed? Do you have a special space? (Author: Lee Currie)

First, easy answer: Costa Rica. Sitting in the infinity pool at Punta Islita. I don't think that anything can top that.

Second, more everyday answer: at home. After I reclaimed my house in late summer, I did a smudging ritual. Wanna know a secret? White sage totally smells like pot when it's burning. Ahem. I've worked on clearing space, and creating a home that I feel relaxed in. I've become a bit of a homebody in the process. After a couple fo years of wanting to be anywhere but here, I really just want to be home.

Do you consider yourself to be in good health? What choices have you made to improve the way you live to be more healthy? (Author: Lee Currie)

Oh, such a timely question, as I glance at the lab requisition sitting next to my keyboard. The quick answer is YES, I do consider myself to be in good health. However. It has been an intersting year.

I spent the majority of 2012 trying to resolve back pain. I'm not talking about the gentle, I'm-getting-old pain that wears off after a shuffle to the coffee maker. I'm talking about pain that reduces you to tears, and results in MRIs, thousands of dollars in medical bills, and teary pleas to medical praticioners. I still have no answers. Well...that's not exactly true. I have a handful of answers that make perfect sense. I have degenerative disc disease. I had 9 pelvic fractures in 1999. I have dozens of tiny tumors in my spinal column that aren't cancerous, but must mean something. I had an injury in a 1/2 marathon in 2011 (literally 10 days after a car accident) that I tried to power through. I have answers, I just have no solutions. So, I continue to treat the symptoms with yoga & supplements & advil & heat & ice.

Fairly late in the year, I began seeing a naturopath. My complaint? "I just don't feel great." I wasn't sleeping well. I've gained 20lbs, and no amount of kale can take them off. I had done so much work on my mind (& emotions & sense of self), that taking care of my body fell by the wayside. Turns out? My body noticed. Seems that as a reaction to the extreme amount of stress, my body threw up a white flag, and shut down. So. We're working on that. Information is power, and I'm reading everything that I can get my hands on. I'm eating whole foods (still pescetarian, with no plans to return to meat). I'm sleeping...a lot. I'm being gentle with myself. I'm taking a host of supplements.

Here's to a healthier 2013!

Lee Currie is leading this fabulous Reverb12 project - a chance to reflect on 2012 before (or while) setting intentions for 2013.

My greatest disappointment actually came very early in 2012. I suspected it in January (or really, even in Dec 2011)...but that didn't prepare me for the "event" in February. I can't share in detail, but the gist of it is this...I poured my heart & soul into a project, and ignored the need to set boundaries. When the end came abruptly, I felt like a failure...even though my success was evident. I let the event strip my confidence down to the very core...and let's be honest...I didn't start 2012 with an excess of it.

However, the end of this project was only a small part of the disappointment. I'm disappointed that I didn't forgive more easily. I'm disappointed that I held on to the hurt so tightly that it nearly destroyed me. I'm disappointed that I handed my self-worth to someone else (on a silver platter), and then sobbed for weeks when it was handed back to me in pieces. I'm disappointed that I didn't recognize the lessons, and didn't say "thank you" for them soon enough.

It took me a very, very long time to let it go. Too long. The doubts & fears still pop up. I'm working on it. I'm reading - reading so much about forgiveness & meditation & (non-religious) prayer. I'm listening - to friends, to the Universe, to my intuition. I'm saying "thank you" - for the joy, for the chance to work with absolute passion, and for the opportunity to shift...and grow.

Lee Currie is leading this fabulous Reverb12 project - a chance to reflect on 2012 before (or while) setting intentions for 2013.

12/16/2012

Encapsulate 2012 in one word. Explain why you're choosing that word. Now, imagine it's one year from today...what would you like the word to be that captures 2013 for you?

This is the question that I have been so excited - and so hesitant - to answer. One Little Word. My word "came to me" late in 2011, and I have never looked back...never doubted it. Shift has been transformative for me this year. Although it wasn't public knowledge, I began 2012 with the knowledge that my life would be shifting in very difficult, very permanent ways. I needed a word to guide me. I needed a word to hold onto. Shift was that word.

I have reminded myself, time & time again, to shift my thoughts. It's a subtle movement sometimes. Just shift. It has saved me so many times this year. I have felt hopeless, frustrated, angry, and exhausted. In those moments, I have used every ounce of strength to shift my thinking. Now, just a couple of weeks before the end of 2012, I watched The Shift by Wayne Dyer. It feels like the fitting end as I get ready to release my word.

I've been tossing around a couple of words for 2013. The first is a rather "typical" one little word. It's a word readily found on coffee mugs, and t-shirts. I'm not saying that it's not worthy of one-little-word-ness. I just want to be sure that it's the right word. A second word has been whispering at me a bit. I'll fill you in soon. :)

Lee Currie is leading this fabulous Reverb12 project - a chance to reflect on 2012 before (or while) setting intentions for 2013.

12/10/2012

What are the 10 things you are most proud of accomplishing this year? What are the 10 things on top of the to do list for next year? (Author: Lee Currie)

2012 was a pretty productive year. I went into it knowing the challenges, and working VERY hard to be brave & focus on moving forward.

10 things that I am most proud of accomplishing:

1. Survived my divorce - the human part. For the most part, we were able to work through it with grace & kindness. Yes, there were tears & yelling....but there was also cooperation & discussion & a focus on the mantra that "divorce ends a marriage, not a family."

2. Survived my divorce - the legal part. I filed all of the paperwork myself, including 2 motions that allowed us to expedite the process. We filed in late Aug, and the court granted a final order in October. That's record time. I am so grateful for the mercy of the court.

3. Took an international vacation. I travel for work, but it's pretty predictable - NYC, Ohio. Heading to Costa Rica with Barb, Kelly, & Chloe was out of my comfort zone. It was definitely an amazing trip.

4. Completed a refinance. I "bought" my house from Rob & I - putting the mortgage solely in my name (meaning, qualifying solely on my income, too). I was so deep in the stress of the whole thing that I didn't take a moment to celebrate until a friend texted "Congrats homeowner!"

5. Became a 2x Bake-off Champion. We have had 2 company bake-off events. I have won both (by a landslide, I'm told) - handily beating our new company president. Perhaps I should have thrown the competition for the sake of job security? Naaah...that wouldn't be much fun!

6. Completed 48 weeks of Project Life. And still going! I'm proud that I've hung in there with this project, despite getting pretty far behind, and having to really buckle down to catch up. Not going to lie - I was disappointed that I didn't make the Creative Team. BUT, that's not why I started the project, and that's certainly not going to stop me from finishing it.

7. Made strides in my meditation practice. I'm certainly not "all zen & shit" (like the Ventage Girls like to say) - but I'm feeling really good about the efforts that I've made (and continue to make).

8. Learned to advocate for my own health. I spent A LOT of time in doctor's offices this year. I spent A LOT of money. Along the way, I learned to ask more questions, challenge more treatments, and be unapologetic in demanding alternatives.

9. Pulled off an epic surprise for my parents. Still can't believe that no one spilled the beans.

10. I got happy. That's a bold claim for an accomplishment list, eh? At some point in October, when the stress of all of the transitions was starting to settle, I realized that the only thing holding me back from happiness was...me. A combination of meditation, a fierce allegiance to my OLW, a never ending stack of self-help books, and the eternal love of my friends brought me back to a happy place.

I'm still in the thinking stages of my 2013 list. I know that it will involve yoga, some new recipes, a lot of writing, and a few leaps of faith. Stay tuned!

Lee Currie is leading this fabulous Reverb12 project - a chance to reflect on 2012 before (or while) setting intentions for 2013.

12/09/2012

This one is pretty easy - I had my hair dyed purple. Well. Not exactly purple, but a color called "violet." It's really just a red with blue tones (as opposed to the orange-y tones that redheads often have). I love it. LOVE it.

Truth be told, I'm not good with spontaneity. Sometimes, honestly, it's about lack of money - it's hard to be spontaeous on a budget! But, I'll forgo pedicures, massages (sometimes), and various other girly things to protect my hair care dollars...curly girls need a little help...and some purple dye. :)

A Reverb12 note: I didn't connect the dots with the fact that Reverb12 would start just as I was starting a week of straight travel. Oops! I'll be returning to past prompts as I can - but for now, I'm just starting from here. I'm following Lee's fabulous prompts!